We have used drills in relation to our work with Sheila Pepe. They were a way to help us attach metal objects to our wall, anchoring our installation. We are now exploring this tool in a new way, to investigate the collected natural items in our studio. Is it possible to drill holes in acorn caps, bark, seed pods or possibly pine cones?
This week we brought the drills outdoors, to practice our skills and to compare our efforts to those of the creatures in the woods! Before heading out, we wondered together by looking a photograph…
Maybe woodpeckers or squirrels! Sophie
Caterpillars aren’t the best. They eat holes in plants. Callen
And chipmunks, of course. That’s a triple hole right there. Sophie
No, there are four! Charlotte
Maybe four of the same animal live in there. Or maybe get food like caterpillars eat leaves by drilling holes in them. Sofia
Woodpeckers drill holes for food. Parker
Some squirrels dig their nuts up so they hide food. Mark
With drills and collection bags, we headed out to the woods!
A felled tree, which had been recently sectioned, provided a great environment for drilling and exploring the habitats of some of our smallest creatures.
“I’ll try and drill through an acorn body too!” SOPHIE
“I haven’t hit anything yet.” PARKER
“The tree is too deep in. You need to be in the mossy part.” PARKER
You only know if it has an animal if it has a hole. Charlotte
My drill is stuck! I can’t loosen it. Eleanor
You have to go reverse. Reverse means you go like this. Callen
When I bang the turkey tail off there, the root holds it. Eleanor
Isn’t it cool, Marky? Callen
Why do roots look like sticks? Charlotte
Cuz they are sticks. Callen
I don’t think the roly-poly likes the shaking. Eleanor
We saw a centipede!
That bug goes soooo fast! Mark
That makes me get deeper quicker. Parker
There’s dirt and poop (on the drill bit). Cuz of the color, see? Avia
Guys, do it harder cuz we gotta help the school! We’re building a new school. Sofia
Our school is broken. Our teacher is almost here. Sofia
This is bad, it’s almost noon. Sophie
Oh no, our school is disappearing! Sofia
“I can see a hole. How deep will you drill? Until I found a home!” NICO
“Don’t drill in the dirt! Cuz the critters live underground!” SOPHIE
“It’s not moving. It could be a very slow one (worm). PARKER
